Poor health outcomes for African Americans, Hispanic Americans, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders are apparent when comparing their health indicators against the rest of the U.S.
population.

The Disability and Health Program (DHP) is funded by a three-year grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The goals of the program are to include Floridians of all ages with disabilities in all of the Department
of Health's programs and activities for health promotion, disease prevention, wellness, and disaster preparedness.

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Influenza or 'flu' is a viral respiratory illness, mainly spread by droplets made when people with flu cough, sneeze
or talk. Influenza can cause mild to severe illness. Serious outcomes of flu infection are hospitalization or death. Florida is currently experiencing a moderately severe influenza season. The best way to protect yourself from flu
is to get vaccinated, practice good hand washing hygiene, and stay home/keep children home when sick. To find a vaccine, please visit
www.floridahealth.gov/findaflushot.

Healthy Community Champions 2018

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Tallahassee, Fla. — The Florida Department of Health is proud to recognize 46 communities as 2018 Healthy Community Champions. Florida’s county and municipal governments play an important role in improving the health of all communities and people. Local governments have implemented a variety of policies that have been shown to increase physical activity and improve nutrition. Between February and April 2018, local governments were invited to submit best practices to demonstrate how they met the Healthy Community Champion criteria.

“I am pleased to recognize local communities who have shown a special commitment to improving the health of their residents” said State Surgeon General and Secretary Dr. Celeste Philip. “Their efforts to implement policies that empower residents and visitors to improve their health are an important part of creating healthy environments throughout Florida.”

The Healthy Community Champions provides an opportunity to highlight local governments that have focused on improving the built environment. The department defines the Built Environment as the places where people live, work and play (e.g., homes, buildings, streets, open spaces and infrastructure), food environments (e.g., supermarkets, corner stores, farmer’s markets and food pantries), and other environmental influences (e.g., indoor/outdoor air and water quality, noise pollution and environmental toxins).

The built environment can influence residents’ physical, nutritional, and mental health within their community through policies designed to provide adequate access to physical activity opportunities, adequate access to healthy, affordable, and culturally appropriate foods, access to health care and a reduction or elimination of environmental health risks to the community. Through communities working to implement policies within the built environment, a greater level of social connectedness can be experienced. As defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, social connectedness is achieved through strong formal relationships between organizations and support services designed to help better ensure that services are delivered and promote a person’s sense of well-being.

About the Florida Department of Health

The department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.